Oswego County legislators seek probe into leak

New information was provided during Monday’s meeting of the Oswego County Legislature’s Strategic Planning and Government Committee regarding an ethics complaint that was reportedly leaked to the press.

Last year, a complaint was filed by former legislature chairman Barry Leemann against Legislator Shawn Doyle. Doyle said he was contacted by a reporter prior to being notified that a complaint was filed against him.

Doyle added that he immediately contacted County Attorney Richard Mitchell and inquired who might have tipped off the press. Mitchell, Doyle said, told him that the packets had yet to leave his office when he contacted him within five minutes of his call from the reporter.

The media had contacted Doyle two days prior to his receipt of the complaint.
An overall discussion about the Ethics Board was postponed because board members could not be present. Legislators then discussed whether they wanted board members present to discuss their conduct.

“I met with the county attorney and the chairman of the board of ethics and they are working on some provisions to propose,” County Administrator Phil Church said.

Other issues legislators want to explore is extending the number of board members and a possible conflict of interest with one of the members.